Randy Bresnik
Commander
NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel.
Artemis III Mission
Artemis III is NASA's next crewed Artemis mission, now targeted for 2027. The mission will send Commander Randy Bresnik, Pilot Luca Parmitano, and Mission Specialists Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas into low Earth orbit to test integrated operations between Orion and one or both commercial lunar landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Meet the Artemis III Crew
Luca Parmitano
Pilot
ESA astronaut and Italian Air Force officer. First ESA astronaut assigned to an Artemis crew.
Frank Rubio
Mission Specialist
NASA astronaut, U.S. Army physician, and American record-holder for longest continuous spaceflight.
Andre Douglas
Mission Specialist
NASA astronaut, engineer, and former U.S. Coast Guard officer making his first spaceflight.
Two Human Landing Systems
Artemis III will test commercial lunar lander hardware in low Earth orbit before NASA commits crews to the next lunar surface landing phase. NASA describes the mission as a rendezvous and docking demonstration between Orion and one or both Human Landing System test articles from SpaceX and Blue Origin.
SpaceX Starship HLS
SpaceX will use a Starship test article based on the company's Version 3 vehicle, with a docking system installed so NASA and SpaceX can evaluate how Orion and the Starship-derived lunar lander architecture operate together.
- Starship-derived Human Landing System test article.
- Orion rendezvous, docking, communications, and controllability testing.
- NASA says astronauts will remain in Orion and will not enter the Starship test lander during Artemis III.
Blue Origin Blue Moon
Blue Origin's Blue Moon test lander is based on the Mark 2 crew lander architecture, carrying major avionics, flight software, control systems, and crew cabin hardware needed to mature future lunar landing operations.
- Blue Moon Mark 2 Human Landing System test article.
- Side-mounted Orion docking demonstration near the crew cabin.
- Planned crew hatch-opening and cabin-entry practice using Orion crew survival suits.
Mission role: Artemis III tests the docking choreography, crew procedures, software coordination, and operations discipline needed before future Artemis astronauts transfer from Orion into a lunar lander for descent to the Moon.
Mission Profile
NASA's June 2026 Artemis III update defines the mission as a 2027 crewed Orion flight in low Earth orbit. Instead of treating Artemis III as a vague preview, the tracker now follows a specific test mission built around launch, Orion checkout, rendezvous, docking, and integrated operations with commercial lunar lander test articles.
- 2027 target mission launched by SLS with Orion and a four-person crew.
- Low Earth orbit rendezvous and docking demonstration for future lunar landing operations.
- Integrated Orion operations with test versions of SpaceX Starship HLS and Blue Origin Blue Moon commercial lander systems.
Mission role: Artemis III is the bridge between the completed Artemis II crewed lunar flight and the future crewed lunar landing campaign, reducing risk before astronauts return to the lunar surface.
Tracker Watch Points
Mission timing
NASA scheduling updates, launch-window movement, lander readiness, and whether the 2027 demonstration target remains firm.
Rendezvous and docking
How Orion demonstrates rendezvous, docking, separation, communications, propulsion interfaces, and crew procedures with commercial lander test hardware.
Commercial lander testing
Readiness milestones for SpaceX Starship HLS and Blue Origin Blue Moon as NASA prepares hardware and operations for later lunar surface missions.
Tracker improvements
Mission-state transitions, launch countdown handling, archive modes, and clearer distinctions between Artemis III test objectives and future lunar landing coverage.
Why Artemis III Matters
Artemis III is a mission operations test for the next phase of lunar exploration. The crew will help prove the Orion-to-lander interfaces NASA needs before sending astronauts onward to the Moon's south polar region on a later Artemis landing mission.
- Orion integrated operations in low Earth orbit.
- Commercial lunar lander rendezvous and docking demonstrations.
- A clear program handoff from Artemis II into Artemis III and future lunar surface expeditions.
Primary Sources
This mission page follows official NASA and ESA updates as Artemis III training, vehicle readiness, and lander integration advance.
Follow the Mission
ArtemisTracker will follow Artemis III as a live mission-control experience, with crew coverage, vehicle readiness, lander integration milestones, and launch-window updates as NASA refines the flight plan.